Elastic-fluid turbine.



G. WESTINGHOUSE ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE. I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 10, 1908935,568. Patented Sept. 28, 1909.

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WITNESSES:

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GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, 0E PITTSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoE TO THE WEST-INGHOUSE MACHINE COMPANY, A ooEroEAr oN or PENNSYLVANIA.

ELASTIC-FLUID TURBINE.

Specification of :Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, 11909.

Original application filed June 24, 1903, Serial No. 162,910. Dividedand. this application filed February 10, 1908. Serial No. 415,089.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE VVESTING- HOUSE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Elastic-FluidTurbine, of which the following is a specification, this applicationbeing a division of an application filed by me 011 June 24, 1903, SerialNo. 162,910.

This invention relates to elastic fluid turbines and has for an objectthe production 'of a simple, compact and efiicient turbine of relativelygreat capacity and low speed.

In the turbine herein disclosed as illustrating my invention, motivefluid is introduced through expanding nozzles to a single stage which islocated midway between the ends of the turbine and through which thefluid flows in a substantially radial direction. The nozzles are adaptedto expand the fluid passing through them and thereby convert a portionof the thermal and pressure energy of the fluid into kinetic energy inthe form of fluid velocity, which is preferably wholly absorbed by amoving row of blades which, with the nozzles, constitute the initialstage of the turbine.

The motive fluid discharged from the initial stage is received by anannular rest or pressure chamber formed in the rotor and located midwaybetween the ends of the turbine and from which it is delivered by aseries of reaction nozzles carried by the rotor. The reaction nozzlesare axially disposed on opposite sides of the rest chamber and arearranged to discharge the fluid rearwardly with reference to thedirection of rotation of the rotor. The reactive force of the fluiddischarging from the rotating nozzles is utilized in imparting energy tothe turbine. Alternate rows of stationary directing vanes and rotatingblades, located at each side of the rest chamber, receive the motivefluid discharged from the rotating nozzles and with the nozzlesconstitute an intermediate stage of the turbine. The motive fluiddischarged from each section in the intermediate stage, (which sectionsare bilaterally symmetrical) is received by sectional nozzles which areadapted to further expand the motive fluid and deliver it to the bladesand vanes of a divided low-pressure stage located on each side of theinitial stage.

The low pressure stage comprises the sectional nozzles and alternateannular rows of directing vanes and moving blades. The motive fluiddischarged from the low-pressure stage, and from which all the availablepressure and thermal energy has been abstracted, enters exhaust passagesformed in the turbine casing and located at each end of the rotor. Theexhaust passages are arranged to communicate with a common condenser orwith the atmosphere as desired.

The turbine rotor is composed of a plurality of parts clamped togetherand mounted on the turbine shaft in such a manner that one end of themounting member is fixed with reference to the shaft while the other iscapable of longitudinal motion along the shaft. to accommodateexpansion.

in the dnuvings ai'ccompanying this ap plication: Figure l is a partiallongitudinal section of a turbine embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is aplan development of a portion of two groups of expansion passages ornozzles and adjacent blades and vanes, the vanes being in section andthe shrouds for the expansion passages or nozzles removed; and Fig. 3 isa section along the line t-l of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings: The turbine comprises a rotor 5, which ismounted on a shaft 6, and an inclosing casing 7. The casing consists ofa substantially cylindrical portion and end portions (not shown) ,whichare adapted to be secured to the annular flanges 8 at each end of thecylindrical portion.

The rotor element comprises a hub portion 9 mounted on the shaft and twosimilar ring portions 10 and 10 secured on opposite sides of the hubportion by screws 11. The hub portion is keyed or otherwise secured tothe shaft 6 in such a way that it is capable of independent expansionlongitudinally of the shaft. A collar 12 formed on the shaft and againstwhich the hub portion abuts, limits the relative motion between the hubportion and the shaft in one direction. Under such conditions the hubportion S) is capable of free longitudinal expansion in one directionand consequently the tendency to distortion caused by restricting theexpansion of either the hub or shaft is overcome. The shaft 6 extendsthrough the casing co-axially with the cylindrical portion and isprovided with suitable packing glands (not shown), which are locatedbetween the end portions of the casing and the shaft, and suitablebearings (not shown), which are located outside of the casing.

The casing is provided with an annular chamber 13 formed integrally withthe cylindrical portion and which communicates with a source of fluidsupply. it nozzle block 1a, which is provided with divergent nozzles 15,is located between the chamber 13 and the working passages of theturbine. The nozzles 15 are arranged to partially expand the motivefluid supplied to the turbine and to discharge it in substantiallyradial streams against a single row of rotating blades 16 which aremounted on the rotor and which are preferably adapted to wholly absorbthe velocity energy resulting from the partial expansion of the motivefluid.

The fluid discharged from the blades 16 enters an annular chamber 17,which is formed in the rotor element midway between the ends of theturbine. The fluid entering the chamber 17 is devoid of inherentvelocity and must be further expanded before giving up further energy tothe turbine. Oppositely disposed reaction nozzles 18 and 18 are formedin the rotor element and taannumicate with the chamber 17. These nozzles18 and 18 are axially disposed with reference to the rotor andrearwardly inclined relative to the direction of its rotation. Themotive fluid passing through the nozzles is partially expanded anddelivered to the blades and vanes of the divided sections of anintermediate stage of the turbine. Since the working passagescommunicating with the nozzles 18 and 18 are alike, only one will bedescribed.

A row of directing vanes 19 receives the motive fluid discharged fromthe nozzles 18, and redirecting it, delivers it to an annular row ofblades 20 mounted on the rotor. The blades 20 are adapted to abstract aportion of the velocity energy of the fluid stream and deliver themotive fluid to an annular row of directing vanes 21, which redirect anddeliver it to blades 22. The blades 22 are mounted on the rotor and arepreferably so constructed that they abstract all the remaining velocityenergy of the motive fluid. The nozzles 18 and 18 with their respectivesets of directing vanes and moving blades oomprise the intermediatestage of the turbine. The fluid delivered by the blades 22 is furtherexpanded in sectional reaction nozzles 23 and delivered to alternaterows of stationary directing vanes 2 1 and moving blades 25, mounted onthe casing and rotor respectively. Each row of vanes 24 is adapted toredirect the flow of motive fluid and deliver it in the most eflicientmanner to the adjacent row of blades, and the rows of blades 25 areadapted to fractionally abstract the kinetic energy of the motive fluid.The motive fluid discharged from the last row of blades 25, and. fromwhich all the available energy has been abstracted, is conducted to acondenser 01' the atmosphere through exhaust passages, which are locatedat each end of the turbine. The nozzles 23 with their respective sets ofvaries and blades comprise the low pressure stage of the turbine.

Each of the nozzles 23 preferably com prises a row of radial vanes 26formed integrally with the rotor and of proper contour and inclinationto provide for the ex pansion of the fluid passing therethrough. Theouter or free ends of the vanes 26 are provided with a shroud 27, whichis provided on its peripheral face with a series of grooves 28 withwhich annular strips 2.),

mounted on the casing, interleave to form a fluid packing. Theinterleaving labyrinth packing presents a tortuous passage to the motivefluid and thereby prevents leakage through the clearance space betweenthe rotor and the casing.

The nozzles 18 and 18 are preferably similar to the nozzles 28 with theexception that the shronding portion is heavier owing to theconstruction of the casing at that point. An interleaving seal, similarto the seal be tween the shrouds 27 and the casing, is located. betweenthe shrouding ot' the nozzles 18 and 18 and the casing, therebypreventing leakage of fluid around the nozzles 18 and 18. The nozzlesl8, l8 and 23 are so arranged that the reactive force of the motivefluid passing through them delivers energy to the turbine. The axial orlongitudinal components of the reactive forces induce axial orlongitudinal thrusts on the rotor element, but the divided portions ofeach of the intermediate and the low pressure stages are so arrangedthat the forces counterbalance each other and the rotor element is inlongitudinal equilibrium.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that one or moresingle-flow stages may be operated in connection with the dividedlow-pressure stages, that the capacity of the turbine may be increasedby increasing the number of nozzles 15, 18, 18 and 23, and that variousmodifications and arrangements of parts may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a steam turbine, a casing having a steam chamber and one or morenozzles, in combination with a rotary member having an annular steamchamber, a set of blades between said chamber and said nozzle ornozzles, and a number of nozzles that receive steam from said annularchamber and expand it to increase its impact velocity, said nozzlesbeing so arranged that their orifices practically touch each other andform a continuous opening, and a group of sets of blades and vanesagainst which the steam is projected from said opening.

2. In a fluid-pressure turbine, the combination with a drum having aplurality of sectional nozzles and a plurality of annular sets of bladesalternating with the nozzles, of a casing having means for supplyingfluid to the initial fluid-using portions of the drum and a plurality ofannular sets of guide vanes that alternate with the annular sets ofblades on the drum.

3. In a fluidpressure turbine, the combination with a drum having anannular receiving chamber, a plurality of sectional nozzles and aplurality of annular sets of blades, of a casing having means forsupplying actuating fluid to the receiving chamber of the drum and aplurality of annular sets of guide vanes that alternate with the annularsets of blades on the drum.

4. In a fluid-pressure turbine, the combination with a drum having aplurality of annular chambers, a plurality of sectional nozzlesseverally receiving fluid from said chambers and a plurality of annularsets of blades alternating with said nozzles, of a casing having meansfor supplying fluid to the first annular chamber and a plurality of setsof vanes that alternate with the drumblades.

In a fluid-pressure turbine, the combination with a drum having aplurality of annular chambers, a plurality of sectional nozzlesseverally disposed to receive the fluid from said chambers and aplurality of sets of blades severally disposed to be acted upon by thefluid from said nozzles, of a casing having means for supplying fluid tothe first of said annular chambers and guide vanes that alternate withthe drum blades.

6. In a fluid-pressure turbine, the combination with a drum having aplurality of sectional nozzles, a plurality of annular sets of bladesintermediate said sectional nozzles and annular chambers which severallysupply the propelling fluid to the sectional nozzles, of a casing havingmeans for supplying fluid to the initial fluid-usii'ig portions of thedrum and a plurality of annular sets of guide vanes that alternate withthe annular sets of blades on the drum.

7. In a multi-stage fluid turbine, nozzles in direct communication withadjacent stages and a labyrinth packing between said adjacent stages andadjacent said nozzles for causing the fluid to pass through the nozzles.

S. In a multi-stage fluid turbine, nozzles between adjacent stagesthrough which fluid exhausts from one stage into the other and alabyrinth packing between adjacent stages and located between theperiphery of the rotor and the interior circumference of the statorwhereby steam from one stage will be directed through nozzles intoanother stage.

9. In an elastic fluid turbine, a rotor provided with a plurality ofrows of sectional nozzles.

10. In an elastic fluid turbine, a rotor ele-' ment provided with aplurality of rows of sectional nozzles with fluid delivery passagestherethrough which successively increase from the inlet to the exhaustof said turbine.

11. In a rotary engine of the character described, a moving part havingin one side vanes or buckets and in the opposite side reaction nozzlesand an intervening steam passage communicating with the channels between the vanes or buckets and with said nozzles.

12. In a rotary engine of the character described, moving parts eachprovided with vane-s or buckets, a series of reaction nozzles and achamber between said vanes or buckets and nozzles, a stationary impactnozzle arranged to discharge steam against said vanes or buckets andstationary abutments against which the reaction nozzles discharge.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this fifth dayof February, 1908.

GEO. \VESTINGHOUSE. lvitnesses GEo. J. TAYLOR, JNo. S. GREEN.

